Lockhart River plane crash findings handed down

PM - Friday, 17 August , 2007 18:34:00

Reporter: Hans Mick

MARK COLVIN: The Queensland Coroner has delivered his findings into one of Australia's worst civilian plane crashes.

Fifteen people, including two crew, died in 2005 when a twin-engined Metroliner aircraft crashed into a hillside on approach to the Lockhart River Airport in Far North Queensland.

The coronial inquest heard evidence from 20 people, and the primary blame for the accident has been attributed to pilot error.

The families of those killed say they're unhappy with today's findings.

Hans Mick reports.

HANS MICK: Two crew and 13 passengers died when a plane operated by the now defunct airline TransAir slammed into a ridge in May 2005. It was on approach to the small Aboriginal community of Lockhart River on Cape York Peninsula.

Queensland's Coroner, Michael Barnes, today delivered his findings. He found primary responsibility for the accident lay with the pilot, Brett Hotchin, who had been highly experienced and competent.

The Corner said Captain Hotchin would've known that the approach he was undertaking into Lockhart River was inconsistent with official regulations and the policies of the airline. The Coroner concluded there is no evidence suggesting the pilot was suicidal or had habitually disregarded his safety or that of his passengers.

Mr Barnes also found that the airline, TransAir, shared responsibility for the crash, as it had failed to adequately monitor its pilots and to ensure they were complying with its policies.

Brisbane-based TransAir went into liquidation late last year, after it was grounded by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which had serious concerns about safety operations.

Today, Coroner Michael Barnes also highlighted what he considered deficiencies in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's surveillance and audit of TransAir, but he stressed this does not mean CASA is to blame for the crash.

Significantly, the Coroner also was critical of the relationship between CASA and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Mr Barnes said he detected a degree of animosity that is contrary to a productive and collaborative focus on air safety in Australia. He recommended that the Federal Transport Minister consider engaging an external consultant to assess whether a high-level intervention is warranted.

Other recommendations include mandatory resource management training for airline crew and a limit on multiple or conflicting roles for key airline personnel. This recommendation came after the Coroner found that TransAir's former head had held several potentially conflicting positions within the airline.

Outside the Coroner's Court, distraught relatives of those killed expressed disappointment with the findings. They believe no real cause of the crash has been identified and feel as if they've been given no closure.

Earlier, the Coroner had also raised the impact of the 2005 crash on communities on Cape York. Mr Barnes said most residents of the remote area had been related to or had known at least one of the victims.